Camargo gives the Braves options moving forward

Ozzie Albies is Atlanta’s best position player prospect. While others (Kevin Maitan) may have a higher ceiling, Albies is closer and is looked at as a potential starter at second base.

But one wonders if he’ll ever see SunTrust Park as a member of the Braves.

Rumors are swirling again the Braves have an interest in acquiring a younger, controllable starting pitcher. First the report surfaced that the Braves scouted Oakland’s Sonny Gray, and then David O’Brien of the AJC reported the Braves renewed interest in Gray, Tampa Bay’s Chris Archer and Chicago’s Jose Quintana.

Can the Braves get one of those pitchers without giving up Albies? It might be difficult.

Albies, still just 20 years old, is in Triple-A Gwinnett. He’s hitting .273 with a .323 on-base percentage, five home runs, 30 RBI, 18 stolen bases, 15 doubles and seven triples in 286 at-bats. Those are really good numbers for a kid that age in a very advanced league like the International League.

He’s a career .303 hitter in 1,430 at-bats during the past three years, with a .367 on-base percentage. There’s little doubt Albies has great potential as part of a MLB lineup.

Albies is a natural shortstop, but the Braves have one now in Dansby Swanson. Albies has mainly played second base since the Braves decided Swanson was their shortstop, and the Braves have no worries about Albies’ ability to play the position.

As a young middle infielder with that skill set, Albies has tremendous value. It’s unlikely a team talking trade with the Braves would not want Albies in the deal. So, if the Braves are to acquire a starting pitcher that will require a major trade, how can they avoid putting Albies in it?

It’s not that this is inevitable. But in the event Albies is included in a trade, what will be Atlanta’s backup options for second base. While Brandon Phillips is having a solid season as the starter, Wednesday is his 36th birthday and he’s a free agent at the end of the season. The Braves are likely to have a new starter at second in 2018.

In the past month, another player has emerged as an option if Albies is traded. What about Johan Camargo as the future second baseman?

Camargo has started the past eight games for the Braves, all but one at third base. The other one? Second base. Overall this season, Camargo has hit .294 with 12 RBI in 68 at-bats. In his 15 games as a starter, Camargo has hit .309 with a .339 on-base percentage, 10 RBI, five doubles and two triples in 55 at-bats.

Camargo has always put up solid numbers offensively. His minor league career batting average is .279 and he has a .333 on-base percentage. But it’s his versatility that makes Camargo valuable.

He mainly has played shortstop, with 265 starts in 399 games. Camargo has also played 76 games (61 starts) at third base and 67 games (66 starts) at second base in the minors.

Camargo’s defense can be inconsistent. Baseball America ranked him as Atlanta’s best prospect defensively for an infielder before the 2016 season. However, we saw him have issues in spring training this past March with six errors. Camargo has made just one error (at third base) this season with Atlanta. He’s got a great arm. Camargo just needs to be more steady and might with more consistent playing time.

The other internal option for second base is Travis Demeritte, a 22-year-old in Double-A Mississippi. He’s hitting .231 with a .315 on-base percentage, 10 home runs, 33 RBI, 14 doubles and five stolen bases. Demeritte has struck out 80 times in his 268 at-bats, which has been a problem for him throughout his pro career.

Demeritte was believed to be the best backup option if Albies was traded, but now Camargo must be considered a serious candidate to be the long-term second baseman for the Braves. His manager, Brian Snitker, obviously has a lot of confidence in the young man, and Camargo has done nothing but hit all season.

When Freddie Freeman takes over at third base next week, Camargo likely will return to the bench. But could Snitker give Camargo some time at second base, just to see how he looks at the position, and how he works with Swanson in the middle infield?

Probably so. And who knows, maybe Camargo is the player a team asks for in a big trade for a pitcher. That’s a possibility, as well. But for the Braves to have these options puts them in the catbird seat. We know a big trade will happen at some point with this team. They’ll need to use their depth to acquire a solid, young starting pitcher, whether it’s before next month’s trade deadline or this winter. To have these options at second base is another great luxury for a team in year three of a rebuilding process.

This story was originally published June 28, 2017 at 12:01 PM with the headline "Camargo gives the Braves options moving forward."